This invention relates to a shoe having a sole that can be quickly and easily replaced with other soles having different types of traction surfaces.
Shoes having replaceable soles are well known in the prior art. One such shoe, which is particularly adapted for use by fishermen, is sold by Korkers Products, LLC. This shoe is disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 10/293,188, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,847. This shoe includes a cavity in its sole which receives a sole plate having a tread pattern on its lower surface. A tab located at the front of the sole plate fits into a slot formed in the cavity sidewall to hold the front end of the sole plate in place. A strap, which is attached to the rear of the sole plate, can be attached to an attachment device located at the back of the shoe to hold the rear end of the sole plate in place. A piece of interfitting releasable fastener material may be located on the sole plate and sole near the center of the sole plate to hold the center of the sole plate in place.
While this shoe works well for its intended purpose, it does have several shortcomings. First, the interfitting releasable fastener loses its holding ability with repeated use, particularly when exposed to sand. Second, sand can get in the slot at the front of the cavity and cause the front end of the sole plate to become offset downwardly with respect to the remainder of the sole. Finally, the attachment device at the rear of the shoe which receives the strap attached to the rear of the sole plate is cumbersome to use, particularly in the field.
The subject invention overcomes the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art shoes having replaceable sole plates by providing a sole having a thin cavity which releasably receives a sole plate which substantially fills the cavity. The sidewall of the cavity includes flaps which are contiguous with the bottom surface of the sidewall and have a thickness which is less than the thickness of the cavity. Depressions located in the outer surface of the sole plate are arranged to receive the flaps when the sole plate is pushed past the flaps into the cavity. The flaps then hold the sole plate in the cavity.
In another aspect of the invention, a slot is located in the sidewall of the cavity at the toe end of the shoe and the sole plate has a tab at its front end which fits into the slot. In this embodiment the sidewall includes a ledge which extends into the cavity below the slot and the sole plate has a recess which is located below the tab and receives the ledge. Thus, when the sole plate is placed in the cavity the ledge and recess interfit to prevent sand from getting under the tab.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.